Back in England…
Angelina stood behind the massive, dark wood desk which sat in front of the big window. On the desk sat the usual office paraphernalia, memo pads, stapler, telephone, a container for various pens and pencils. The office itself was modern and all pieces of furniture were expensive and impressive to the eyes. Yet, an old black and white photograph of two young girls smiling at each other their eyes belying a secret they were sharing seemed out of place between colour photos of the owner’s parents and brother.
The door opened and Dani came in. As always whenever she was in the field, she was dressed in faded blue denims and a white shirt, sleeves pulled up to almost to the elbows. In one hand she was holding a file and on the other a bright yellow hard-hat. Dropping both items on her desk, she moved towards the front of her desk, as Angelina stepped back.
“So, anything exciting happened while I was gone?” she asked. Not hearing a reply, she looked up at Angelina and followed her line-of-sight. Angelina was looking again at the picture. “You are really fascinated by that photo, aren’t you?
Angelina, executive assistant, had been with Dani since they were in grade school. Nodding, Angelina asked, “You still hope for a miracle, don’t you?”
“I never lost hope, “came the reply.
“It has been, what, almost eighteen years, Dani. She might be happily married by now with lots of children. Don’t you think it is time to give up hoping?” she gently asked.
“NO! She promised we will be friends forever. She will never forget me,” the sharp, angry voice came back.
Angelina understood, after all, she hang around with Dani and Ariadne whenever she could. She knew, then, as she knew now, that her two friends were in love, though they themselves did not understand it.
Shaking her head she handed all the pink phone slips to Dani and quietly left the room.
%%%%%%%%
“Dani, Travis, Griffis, Somers on line two. Chilsolm is on the phone,” Angelina said over the intercom.
Putting down her Steidler mechanical pencil, Dani picked up the phone. “Hello, Chilsolm. What’s new in the Public-Investor Relations business?”
“Hey, Dani, I think I am able to get a speaker for you for the upcoming convention. She is from Australia and is an expert on geology. I have not been able to speak to her myself, but Setra said that she has been away the last few months. She is back in Australia now to help her parents move back to England. It is now just a matter of convincing her to come up and accept our offer. It will be a matter of you speaking with her directly.”
“Oh no, you do it, after all you are the big kahuna. You do the dirty job, not me. That’s why I pay your company big bucks.” Laughing at her friend’s attempt to lure her into meeting another woman, she hung up, picked up her briefcase and started towards the door.
“I’m leaving now Angel. If anyone is looking for me, I’ll be over at mom and dad’s tonight. Only emergency calls please. I want to start my weekend in peace and quiet,” she jokingly addressed her friend.
%%%%%%%%
“Aha, he got ahead of me this time. I hope Sheila did not bake that cake again,” Dani said loudly to no one in particular as she opened the door in her parent’s house.
“I heard that and yes, I did bake it again. I know you love it.” Hester, her sister-in-law laughed. “Why are you so late? We are almost ready to sit down.”
“Why are the twins screaming??”
“Well, you know how it is Sis; the twins are having their fits again and have been giving their mom a hard time. They wanted to bring the birds to show you and we said no,” William replied as he came in from the patio where they were doing the barbeque.
As soon as they heard their aunt’s voice, the twins came rushing in almost knocking over their grandfather who was carrying an old box ahead of them.
“What’s in that old box, Dad?” Dani asked.
“I don’t know. I started cleaning the old shed and I found this box under old rugs and pieces of wood. The lock is a little rusted, but it can be opened.
“I recognize that box,” William replied, “I’ve seen it before, but I can’t remember where.”
“Put down that box, Andrew and let’s start dinner it’s getting late,” Mrs. Dimitrov called from outside.
Dinner was indeed very quickly demolished and the cake that Dani said she hated was consumed to the last slice, while the box sat on the kitchen counter completely forgotten.
Three months later…
An agitated Andrew Dimitrov sought his wife. Finally finding her, he set his still slender frame down next to his wife while nervously licking his lips. “Krista, do you remember the box I found in the old shed three months ago?”
“Oh, yes, did you finally open it?” his wife asked. She has been teasing Andrew about that box since he found it. Andrew always replied that he would open it, but hadn’t until now, it would seem.
“Yes, and I found these,” he replied, handing over to his wife a big bunch of unopened mail.
Looking at her husband, she extended her hand to accept the now untied bunch of unopened envelopes and with a doubtful, shaking voice, asked quietly, “what is it?”
“Open them, read them and tell me if my suspicions are wrong, please tell me I am wrong,” Andrew replied.
Still unable to keep her hands from shaking, she slowly opened the first envelope and read the letter. Tears started to fall and she exclaimed “My poor darling daughter. All these wasted years you suffered through. My poor, poor darling.” “Shaking her head she asked her husband, “Why, Andrew, why?”
“We don’t know. What shall we do now?”
“First, I think we should ask William. I think this is the box he used to keep his baits and other lures. But, what I want to know, is how did these letters ended up in his box and why?” Andrew asked.
Quietly, the two went inside and telephoned William.
%%%%%%%%
“I got it” William cried out as he came rushing to pick up the phone
“Bill, it’s dad.”
“Yeah, Dad, like I wouldn’t know the voice,” Bill replied.
“Bill, can you come over now?”
William recognized the urgency of his dad’s voice and replied, “Be there in a few, Dad.”
Calling out to Hester, he put his coat on and walked out to his car.
%%%%%%%%
“Dad, what is wrong? You sounded upset on the phone. Nothing bad has happened, I hope,” William asked as soon as he entered the house.
“I am hoping you’ll be able to answer one or two questions Bill, but come on in first and sit down. This, I believe, is a serious matter.”
William made himself comfortable on the sofa and soon his dad brought in the old box and handed it to him. “I see that you finally got around to opening it Dad. What did you find inside, family skeleton?” he joked. Seeing the serious look on his dad’s face, he sobered up and sat straighter.
“I’ll start coffee,” his mom offered, “I think this will be a long night for all of us.”
“Open the box Bill and tell me if you know anything about it,” Andrew said sadly.
William’s eyes widened in shock when he saw the contents of the box and with trembling hands, pulled out the contents and began to weep.
%%%%%%%%
“Dani, your dad on line one,” Angelina announced on the speaker phone.
“Thanks, Angel.”
“What’s up, Dad? I was just about to leave.”
“Umm…Dani, can you drop by the house today? I mean, on your way home.”
“Sure Dad, no problem. What’s mom planning to make for dinner?” she asked.
“Krista, Dani wants to know what is for dinner. It sounds like she is inviting herself.” Andrew called out to his wife who was in the kitchen.
“Hmm… I really haven’t thought of it. Maybe I’ll make some pot roast, that’s one of her favourites.” Krista smiled to herself knowing how Dani hates cooking.
%%%%%%%%
That night, Dani’s parents carefully avoided the reason why they had asked Dani to come to their house. They agreed that news such as this one they are about to reveal might be better broken to Dani if they all have dinner first.
After clearing the table and while they were all still seated in the dining room Dani broke the silence by commenting on the old box that was on top of the kitchen counter.
“I see you finally got around to opening that box, Dad?” she said. “So what is inside…some dark family secrets?” Laughing she approached the box and brought it to the table.
“That is what we wanted to talk to you about, Dani, but before you open it, we are asking you to be calm about it and accept the reason why the contents were hidden from you all these years. We are really very sorry that this happened.” Krista said, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.
%%%%%%%%
At home that night…
I’ll come running to see you again… winter, spring, summer or fall…
“Angel, cancel all my appointments and close my diary for the next two months. I am leaving for Australia first thing in the morning. Edward is in charge while I am away. I will call you once I am in Australia.” Instructions left Dani closed her cell phone and started to pack. It is now 12:38 and her dad is picking her up in 5 hours so she can take the earliest flight out to Australia.
Sydney Australia…
Without checking in first at the Sheraton Hotel, Dani instructed the cab driver to proceed at the fastest way possible to the address written in an envelope that she carried. Arriving at the house, she jumped out of the taxi and run to the front door. Ringing the doorbell and waiting for the door to open, she tapped her right foot several times, muttering, “c’mon, c’mon open the door…please open the door.”
Finally, the door was opened, revealing a ten-year old girl. Dani’s heart stopped beating…no….her thoughts screaming in her head…no it just can’t be….Same green eyes, same colour of hair…no. God, please don’t let it be…
“Hello, ‘lil girl, is your mama home?” Dani asked the young girl nervously.
“Mom, there’s a lady looking for you,” the girl yelled.
A woman came down the stairs and smiled. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“I’m looking for the Murdle family. Are you related to them?” Dani asked nervously.
“Oh no, we bought this house from them almost two months ago. As you can see, there are still a few unopened boxes,” she added, pointing at the side of the stairs.
“Do you know where they went? Where they moved? Did they leave a forwarding address?” Words came rushing out and Dani did not attempt to slow down in her hurry to get the answers. “Pardon my manners, but I need to speak to any one of them.”
“Well, Mrs. Murdle said they were moving back to England since her husband has recently retired. But, they did not leave any forwarding address or phone number. Maybe they said something to my husband,” the woman paused and called her husband.
Dani’s heart stopped beating when the husband told her that they did not know, but quickly recovered when she thought of asking who the real estate agent was. In her mind, the agent might be able to point her to the direction she needs.
%%%%%%%%
Opening the glass door, she quickly approached the receptionist and asked for Denise Langston.
“Miss Langston is out today until perhaps 4:00.p.m. She is showing a client some out-of-town houses. Can anyone else help you?”
“Yes, perhaps. Was it only Miss Langston who was involved in the sale of the house on Pemberton Avenue? 777 Pemberton?”
“Let me check my records,” the receptionist replied politely, opening her Rolodex. “Hmm.. yes, she did close the deal, but let me look it up in my computer to see if there is some data I can provide to you.,” the girl offered, giving Dani a toothy smile. “Well, Miss, it says here that for any information required refer caller to Miss Langston”.
“I will be back on or before 4 o’clock then. Would you kindly make an appointment for me to see her?”
%%%%%%%%
Dani was early. She walked into the reception area of the real estate office to let the receptionist know that she was there.
“Hello there again, Miss Langston came in earlier than expected. I will let her know you have arrived,” the reception smiled at Dani, “please have a seat.”
Miss Langston came out of the office and shaking Dani’s hand asked, “Would you like tea…or coffee perhaps?”
“Coffee, if you don’t mind.”
Turning to the receptionist, Miss Langston asked her for two cups coffee to be brought into her office.
“Please, please sit down.” Without waiting for an explanation, Miss Langston turned to her computer and said. “I understand that you are looking for the Murdle family. Let me see what I have here….ah, it says call the family bank for references. Miss Dimitrov, may I see some identification please? You understand that I cannot give out any other information without some personal identification?” Miss Langston said.
Satisfied with all the identification provided to her, Miss Langston said, “it says call the family bank for references. Would it help if I call the bank manager to let him know you are coming?” Miss Langston offered.
“Yes, please.”
Waiting for the result of Miss Langston’s conversation with the bank manager, Daniella, quietly sipped her now lukewarm coffee, while contemplating on her next move should she fail to get further information as to the whereabouts of the Murdle family.
%%%%%%%%
The following morning, Daniella found herself standing in front of the bank manager’s office. A young man dressed in a light blue suit, shook her hand and offered coffee.
“No, thank you, one more cup of coffee and I will begin to smell like Pedro, the Columbian coffee man,” she replied with a smile.
“In that case, I won’t have any either I much prefer tea myself.” He smiled. “Now shall we begin?
“I see here that Miss Murdle has specific instructions to keep the family account active until further instructions to the contrary. Hmm. We have a hotel address in Birmingham, but it also says that it is only up until the end of last month. We have not heard from any one of them as yet, but it also says that Miss Murdle will be in touch at a future date. That is all I have Miss Dimitrov.”
Daniella steeled herself from crying and stood up, she took the proffered hand of the bank manager, shook it and said “thank you very much for your assistance. I will be here for at least another two months and may I call every now and then to see if Miss Murdle has been in touch with you?” She then asked, “If she does, may I have another request to make?”
“Of course, Miss Dimitrov, we will be glad to help in any way we can.”
“Can you do me a favour when she calls? Will you please give her my number at the hotel and ask her to call me? I’d like to have her number also where I can reach her in case I miss her call?
Daniella left the bank and quick steps boarded a taxi to take her to her next stop. – The office of a top private investigator.
“Yes, you heard me correctly. All I need for you to do is find out where in England the Murdle family has settled. I have no qualms about your fees, but if after two months, which is the length of my stay here in England, you have no result to show me, I will have no further use for your services,” Danielle said to the P. I.
“I understand, ma’am. Rest assured that I will do all that I can to find this family.”
Two months became three months and there had been no further development. Angelina and Edward had a conference call with Daniella three times a week to keep her up to date with the company business. She also called her parents regularly to let them know what was happening.
At the end of the third month, Daniella had lost all hope that she will ever locate the Murdle family. Dejected, she made reservations to fly back to England in two days time.
%%%%%%%%
Arriving at her house that night, Daniella put down her bags at the foot of the stairs and went to the kitchen window. Looking out, she searched for the old tree where she and Ariadne carved their initials. She thought she saw movement from her vision, but was not concerned, assuming that the leaves movement was caused by the light breeze.
When the movement became more of a shadow, her curiosity peaked and with quick steps went to the mud room and put on her Macintoshes. Then as she was half-running and half-walking towards the tree, she saw a young woman standing there, her hand lightly touching the curved initials.
“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you! That tree belongs to me, to this property! No one, but no one, can touch it but me!” she said sharply to the girl whose back was turned to her.
Turning around, the girl retorted in an angry voice, “This tree does not belong to you. It belongs to my friend, my dearest friend and you have no right to…” The voice faltered, the body quivered, the eyes began to shed tears. “No, it cannot be…it cannot be you…she’s forgotten,“ her words were incoherent, her voice sounding so distant. Her knees gave way and before she fell to the ground, strong arms caught her. Gently helping her to sit under the tree, they looked at one another and said simultaneously, “you…you came back.”
No longer able to control the feelings long denied they embraced and with a passion and longing they were just beginning to accept and understand, they kissed and soon were lost in time.
Ariadne pulled out but did not attempt to leave the tight hold of Daniella. “Why? Why did you not answer my letters? I wrote every week, but you never replied to any of them. Why did you make me think that you did not care? That you have forgotten our promise to one another?
Putting a finger gently on Ariadne’s lips, Daniella took a deep breath and sighed deeply. “Let’s go inside and I will explain the whole thing,” she said.
“Inside? Who owns that house? Is it yours?” Ariadne asked.
“Yes, I built it as soon as I could afford it. I bought the land while I was still in university knowing that one day, you and I will start our family here.”
“Our family? You mean you have planned and thought and thought and planned about this a long time ago?”
“Oh, yes, that year you left for Australia, I found myself missing you more than I thought I would. I realized then that I was in love with you and that no matter what, I vowed to myself that I will find you and bring you back to England, no matter what steps I had to take to do that. That dream never stopped and here you are.”
Stepping inside Daniella led the way to the living room.
“Do you want a beer?”
“Yes, I could use one right now. Thank you.”
Handing the bottle to Ariadne, she sat down next to her and began her story.
“Do you remember William who tagged along with us whenever he could?”
“Yes,” came the quiet reply.
“William had a big-time crush on you. And you treated him like a kid brother. In his young mind, it was a rejection. The letters you sent me were intercepted by William since he was the first one to come home everyday from school. In retaliation…remember I said that he thought you rejected him…he kept them all in his fishing box. As he got older he met girls and started forgetting about the letters. Remember when you left, your dad did not have an exact address for you, you were going to stay in a hotel and you were going to send me your address when you are settled in your new house. That was when Williams started the interception…I had no way to contact you and thought you had forgotten me.” She paused taking a sip of her beer.
Continuing on, she said, “about six months ago, dad found this fishing box in the old shed but did not open it until three months ago. That was when we found the letters and that was also when William remembered what he did. I wanted to punch him, wanting to hurt him bad, but dad and mom intercepted. He was sincere in his apologies and knowing that he was young then and did not exactly know that what he was doing was wrong, I reconciled with him that same night, just before I left for Australia. I looked for you, I hired a private investigator to look for you here, in England, but he couldn’t find your family. I came home just a few hours ago and that’s when I saw you from the kitchen window,” she finished and waited for Ariadne to say something.
“I’ve come here almost everyday since we arrived .back in England…I was hoping that you would show up, though my heart said not to expect to see you. I sent wishes to the stars, I prayed as hard as I could, I hoped against hope and now you are here I don’t know what to do.”
“Well, you can start by kissing me again,” Daniella joked. But, her joke was not taken lightly. Ariadne leaned over and with a passion that came from her heart, kissed Daniella throwing all caution to the wind.
%%%%%%%%
And together the following morning, they broke the news to their families. Together that morning, they started a brand new beginning.
The End
